New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-28
CUP RACE CHANCES.
THE BEAUTIFUL RIVALS-THEIR ELEMENTS
AND SOME DEDUC rIONS TIL EREFR0M.

sIR: Tho air IL full Of speculation and rumor about
the Americas Cup races. Mr. Philip Lows friends on
tho other side advise him to bot on the Thistle. on
this side we aro pursuing Elusive deductions from av-
erags speeds-lluslve because such thing average
| speed Is imaginary. A test of the Thistle against
Known vessel as tho Galatea I'm American waters
cannot BIO had, and must look elsewhere for a
sonablo estimate Of tho probable issue between the
Thistle and the Volunteer. Perhaps find basis
for such estimate in the clements of the two boats
which arc known with consider able accuracy.
It must, OF course be admitted that reasoning from
he clements Of the boats will give result con-
uncing would trial of tho Thistle In wauers.
put suca trial cannot bo maoo. Further, IL must
admit that, taking the Dimensions OF the Thistle
they arc, Mr. watson has developed on them design
moro harmonious In its form, weight sail-area than
MFR. Burgess has been able 10 develop on the dmen-
sions Of the Volunteer then any deductions from the
crudo elements may DO worthless because Of their
greatly superior combination In the Thistle. But
think such admission Is not necessary Mr.. Watson
Is the foremost designer I'm Great Britain, and Mr..
Burgess Is known to the American public by four
largo yachts each unsurpassed except by some other
from tho draughungbosrd Of the same Designer Each
Of these famous vessels is notable for tho unity
Of design with which 1t is worked out from keel to
topmast, and justified In assuming that taking
tho dimensions Of the Volunteer They are Mr. Bur
goss has produced perfect vessel OF her kind as
Mr. Watson has produced In the Thistle for hor kind
II this IL reasonable assumption We can pass TO
conclusions iJOm tho elements Of the boats with
good deal Of FEASIBILITY.
Tho elements of the Thistle have recently been pub
lshsd by Forest and Stream" Unfortunately they
only an estimate, hut they are made by a gentle
man Of skill and sound Judgment IN such matter;
supported by those published In THE TRIBUNE
and by my measurements Of photograph, and also
by close Inspection Of the vessel she lies of Temp
knsvillc.
Tho Thistle IL IS feet long the waterne, 90 feet
waterIine beam, about Ia feet draught and OF 135
tons displacement The Volunteer Is 80 feet 10
inches waierIlDc, ~ feet inches waterlne beam, 10
feet draught and 1l6 tons displacement Tho ballast
Ia given a. nearly the same for both, tho Thistle
having about three tons moro than tho Volunteer
worc those dsplacoments and bdlasts correct tho
Volunteer would have considerably creator percent
age Of her weight concentrated in the balast-an i'm
portan fact II true, but probably not true Tho DIS
placements likely 100 to 125 tons for the
Volunteer and 40 to 80 tons for the Thistle and tho
extra weight Of the Thistle IA largely ballast 1T IL
now set cd that tho saarea OF the Thistle Il l'uo
less than the sall-area Of tho Volunteer Tho miailD
section OF each about 81 feet from the stem at tho
water line, foot MON or less perhaps II the en-
trance OF each Is equally well modelled for the umen
slous tho superior Of the Thsuos IL proper
tcnal hcr lessor beam-but by only the one-twenty
second part Of length Of tho entrance too lttlo to
DO OF any consequence. About THREE feet below the
surface Of the tho Volunteer becomes as narrow
tho Thistle Mt the samc depth, and below that DO
rapidly finer than the Ihst!e, uoPIts
This superior underwater 6noncss results In 0nin'
ished tendency to disturbance on the surface and
obcrates slight superiority Of the Thistle just a
the watcr-lne A. for tho run, close inspection OF
the Thistle indicates that she IL not 40 ne AFT ~ The
Burgess boats, while the hatter bullock lines OF tho
lattcr also promote clean delivery Of the water from
tho So long tho water IL fairly smooth, the
wayemaking and cdly-makng rcsistanccs are probably
oqusl-or a slight superiority for the Volunteer
Eut tho chief cause OF resistance, so long a. the
wafer IL smooth. moves In long easy swell, 10
surface friction. Hore the Volunteer has a decided
advantage for all Iui work II Is within bou"ls
to say that Thsllc has gicat an inmorsed sur
faco a. tho Volunteer has with centre board down
inc Volunteers midshlp section has slightly greater
grth than the May flowers. but her fore foot Is 40
away that this slight difference Is probably moro
than made up It Il safe To say the Volunteer has
friction making surface than the Mayuowor'
An apparently good estimate last year gave tho May
flower 1900 square feet of surface IL this u
approx imatey correct, then the Volunteer has the
power In froe sheet sailing, of reducing her friction
by about IL per cont of Its total amount very I'M
pouant consideration In smooth water IL should be
added hero tho English authority attaches great
Importance this matter The opposition OF FRACTIONAL
resistance speed Ia Insisted on In England "a IL
not In this country 1.-The London Held rosorted
for explanation of tho Iurtsns victory over
the Gencsta In tho last 1885 race; scotch yachtshah
recently found In 1t the cause OF an unqnestonabc
superiority Of our centrebOard boats over tho Old
typo OF cutter and the accomplished yachting editor
OF "Iho London Field" Mr. Dixon Kemp has very
recently writing of tho Thistle, declared that race
between her and a centre board boat Will be unsatis
factory because Of tho latter's power OF reducing
FRACTIONAL resistance.
The dIspI acement, or weight, of tho Thistle may
be taken a. about twenty-five greater than the
displacement of the Volunteer. Unquestionably dis
placement Is not a of resistance, but as I'M
nf thn
length and Of equally good form and surface, but one
Ii much lighter than Che other then given driving
power will produce the higher speed In the lighter
boat, In smooth water. As certainly a. a gwen OK
pIosve power of gunpowdcr will not drive hundred
pound shot at great velocity "a 1t VIII hty-
pound shot, SO certainly, other things being oqua'
Will not certain sa-area drive a Lotion boat at a.
high a speed a. 1t VIII drive 12oton boat 50 long
a. tho water Is smooth Smooth wator for these
yachts Is q very different thing from smooth water
for tho Clara and the Cinderella sea that would
seriously trouble the Cinderella, would only be good
sailing for tho Volunteer Past races In september
gvo to suppose that two OF the coming
races Will DO sailed in weather hard enough to draw
on tho gross elements OF great weight anu u'' H
stability aud otherwise the reslstances OF loIIn
and surface, and the power OF saiarea arc the rus
IL may DO taken as settled that the Volunteer viii
spread little more canvas g. we M1 may the TbstIos
We have the fame of New-York sailmakers, and tho
skilled handling OF fhe Volunteers owhor' uesi1hor
and skipper for that -, ,
For smooth waor sailing we may view tho chances
thus: For the thistle, more weight, more surface,
less sail area for tho Volunteer less weight, less
surface, sail area, and fair chance 10 VIII
All my reasoning has assumed two things (l) That
Mr. Burgess skill be depended on TO produce
harmonious design for Its dim nsoDs, equal to the
Thistle for her dmensans AS to the reasona9ieheys
TINS, only DO said, there is the record, look
at it-Iurtan, Maylower, sacbem Volunteer W
That tho weather in at least two races will DO moderate
tho easy. past years leave no question
about tho plausbty OF this But suppose the weather
should be- heavy. Well the modern largo centre
board boat has not sailed many races In hard weather
In those few the record II monotonous she mas
won every ono or them. Tho Thetls demolished tho
Strange r. Sacfom knocked out the Miranda; tho
Maynower, In fair approach 10 heavy weather, beat
the 6aatea fourteen minutes In thirty miles, the
1ltanIa has shown her ability TO beat tho Bedouin
every time they In heavy breeze and Jump Oh
sea This is not TO say that the centroboaru